


Saving John Mitchell

by china_shop



Category: White Collar
Genre: Episode Related, Gen, Not Quite Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-17
Updated: 2016-06-17
Packaged: 2018-07-15 13:07:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7223500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/china_shop/pseuds/china_shop
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Neal might be on work release, but Peter was on parole too—with Elizabeth. (Scene from 1.04.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Saving John Mitchell

**Author's Note:**

> For wc_rewatch, inspired by [this comment](http://wc-rewatch.livejournal.com/2449.html?thread=15505#t15505) by treonb. Contains a reference to 4.10.
> 
> Swirly flowers and chocolates full of thanks to mergatrude for beta.

Peter sent Neal to the stacks to find the company records, then took a deep breath, rolled his shoulders and tried to relax. He’d been on edge ever since Caffrey was released into his custody, and he knew why, and it wasn’t for the obvious reason—that Peter’s career was now subject to the whims of an incorrigible con artist who was harboring an unhealthy obsession with his ex-girlfriend. 

No, the source of Peter’s tension was closer to home. Neal might be on work release, but Peter was on parole too—with Elizabeth. She’d given her blessing to Peter’s taking Neal on “only on condition you don’t forget I exist.” She’d been half-joking when she’d said it, but then the smile had faded from her face. “Hon, I remember what it was like when you were chasing him. Waking up in the middle of the night in an empty bed while you were down here poring over his file. All those cookies and late-night phone calls from international numbers. He’s charming, and you—you were charmed.”

“I’m not—” Peter spluttered. “ _Charmed_? You make it sound like something out of a romcom!”

El’s mouth turned up again in a brief but genuine grin. “Oh, tell me you never thought about him like that. Huh?”

“That’s not—I’m married!” Peter felt his cheeks burn. 

“That’s what I’m saying,” said El firmly. “You can let Neal Caffrey out of his cage, you can work together, but at the end of the day, I need you to remember what’s important. Who it is you’re actually married to.”

She’d looked serious, even vulnerable, and it had seemed so simple at the time. “Always. I love you, hon. Always will.” 

And then, Neal’s very first day, Peter had missed dinner. He’d got caught up in the case and, yes, mesmerized by Neal’s brilliance, and someone had pickpocketed four hours out of his afternoon without his realizing. And sure, El said she wasn’t mad, but she had every right to be. So although right now, it felt like Peter had it all—at work _and_ at home—he was going to have to concentrate damned hard to keep it that way. If he neglected El, she might reasonably decide Neal was a mistake. She might start campaigning to send him back. There was already enough pressure in that direction from _inside_ the Bureau.

They were closing ongoing, high profile cases. They were making FBI history!

So here Peter was, jumping at shadows, especially when Jones ran up the stairs and announced El had arrived looking upset. Jones’ assumption that Peter was having an affair didn’t help, either, but given Peter’s behavior over the last few weeks, he couldn’t really blame Jones for thinking the worst. “Thanks, that’ll be all.”

El explained about Mitchell, and Peter’s tension eased a fraction. There was a ton of physical evidence against the guy, but El had good instincts—if she was convinced he was innocent, it was worth looking into. Even Neal said it was possible he didn’t do it. And if Peter and Neal could clear El’s friend’s husband’s name, that might make up for at least some of the missed meals and distracted conversations. Might even be credit against any future slip-ups.

“Okay, hon. Tell Dana he can turn himself in to me,” said Peter. “Don’t get her hopes up, but we’ll do what we can.”

“We will,” said Neal, with more confidence than the situation strictly warranted.

Peter opened his mouth to tell Neal to stand down, but El was smiling. “Thanks, guys. I knew I could count on you.”

“Any time,” said Neal, just as Peter said, “Always.”

El looked from Peter to Neal and back, and her smile turned into a grin, and for the first time in weeks, Peter felt the pressure subside. He really could do this. He could have it all.

 

END


End file.
